


Eyes and Teeth

by Impetus



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Capture, Eventual Smut, M/M, Unrequited Lancelot, she/her pronouns for pidge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-08 06:10:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12858438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impetus/pseuds/Impetus
Summary: Lance offers himself up, Lotor takes him, and things change.Captured!Lance AU for fun and self-indulgence.





	Eyes and Teeth

**Author's Note:**

> This is intended to be an open AU for myself to post oneshots in/possibly expand upon.  
> Rating will change and tags will be added as chapters are posted.
> 
> To note: this will involve Shance and Lancelot.

The taste of blood fills his mouth faster than he can swallow it.

 

It is easy, he thinks, to smile despite it. He pulls his cheeks back and reveals the shine of teeth. The throbbing of his tongue hides beneath layers of skin, bone, and long practiced ease.

 

“Take me instead.”

 

Useless in everything but his uselessness, Lance steps forward to complete a one-sided negotiation. It is out of pure luck that Lotor accepts.

 

***

 

Shiro blinks once.  The roar of every memory and abandoned confession washes behind his eyes.  When his eyes close he sees a broad smile laced with blood and spit. When they open he finds Lance’s back.

 

“No,” Shiro says. He is on the ground and Lance is too close to Lotor’s side.

 

“Deal.” Lotor smiles, teeth just as pearly white and just as painted with blood.

 

Shiro watches as Lance does the very thing Shiro had always feared he would. Keith and Pidge know this pain. Shiro feels guilt for this pain. Lance wears this pain like a medal.

 

“Come back.”

 

***

 

It is with prolonged silence that team Voltron acknowledges their loss.

 

A hole torn open with self sacrifice and kept raw with saltwater.

 

Gradually and thoroughly.

 

Painfully.

 

***

 

“Kill me if you have to,” Lance says when he sees them again, the tremble of his voice and hands captured by the screen Lotor hailed them on.

 

“Don’t say that, please.  Come back, Lance,” Hunk pleads.  His voice trembles and his lips are white beneath the hard press of teeth.

 

Lance moves when a sharp tipped purple hand grips his shoulder and threats trickle into his ear. He stills.

 

“I will, buddy.”

 

The words slide through cracked lips with more feigned hope than Shiro can bear. Hunk smiles anyway.

 

“See you soon.”

 

The fight begins and if team Voltron can't bring themselves to attack Lotor’s ship, none of them bring it up.

 

***

 

Lance returns to them at the end of a fierce firefight.

 

Lotor only barely accepts leaving without his great prize, but he is bleeding and his generals are more worried about the loss of their prince than the mouthy prisoner who refuses to stop hitting on them.

 

So the Galra fly to the druids and Lance comes home.

 

Shiro can barely see Lance beneath the rest of team Voltron and the tears they all shed. Eventually, everyone steps away and blue eyes turn to him.

 

“Shiro,” he whispers. He still looks vibrant and beautiful like always. Despite every hardship Shiro knows weighs heavily on them all, Lance shines. Every hesitation and excuse blows away. Lance is back. Lance is here with him.

 

Shiro moves and finds himself entwined with long, lanky arms. Lance is still warm and Shiro is still afraid of breaking the face of strength and steel he always wears.

 

“I love you.”

 

It is as the words echo around them that they realize they are alone, the rest of the team having snuck away during their embrace.  Shiro expects the scrutiny he is leveled with as Lance stares up at him.  Lance’s eyes, bright and clear despite his captivity, rove over his face before settling on Shiro’s own.  One blink and fluttering lashes hide his thoughts as Lance lowers his head to rest it against Shiro’s shoulder.

 

Shiro fills with panic, but refuses to let Lance go.  Refuses to allow himself to let this love go.

 

Suddenly Lance laughs, a wet half-swallowed giggle bursting from his chest. Shiro feels it more than hears it.  Feels the tears as they stick skin together and the stuttering of Lance’s breath as relief gives way to elation.  

 

“I’m alive,” Lance chokes out in Shiro’s collarbone. Shiro nods, accepting the brave and unstoppable urge to kiss to the top of Lance’s mop of hair. A sniffle and a small “I’m alive and you love me,” brand Shiro’s neck as Lance lets out a snort.  “I knew that if I pined hard enough, you’d finally notice me.  Was it my practiced secret glance that got you?”

 

“Your secret glances are good, but I think mine are better,” Shiro grins. Lance finally pulls back to meet his gaze again and raises a thin brow.

 

“Excuse me? Want to run that by me again?” Lance gasps in mock offense. “My secret glances are the best of the best!” Lance’s pout is a sight for sore eyes and Shiro simply leans in to kiss him before shooting him a brilliant smile.

 

“Fine, your secret glances are the best.”

 

Lance, unable to contain his excitement, bounces on his heels and gives Shiro’s chin a kiss of his own. A contemplative tilt of the head and a gracious “maybe we can be tied?”  

 

Shiro grins.  “We can be tied.”

 

***

 

The confession ushers in an era of hope and excitement.  Lance has returned.  He is tired, a bit bruised, and readier than ever to take down the empire. Their new relationship heightens the sense of good things and of returning home.

 

It takes less than two kisses to make Pidge gag and Keith cringe in disgust.  Hunk is pleased to bits and Allura gossips with him excitedly.  Coran smiles fondly and proposes a toast.

 

“To our dear Lance’s return, and the beginning of something new.”

  


***

 

Low whines and cold damp skin remind both Shiro and Lance that their newfound love is not enough to end a war. Nor is it enough to stop nightmares. It pains them both, to see the one they love in such despair. It pains them even moreso that neither of them know what to do.

 

They have no handbooks, there is no such human instruction manual.  

 

So they smother the nightmares with kisses and whispers of encouragement. Warm limbs and soft lips ground the shaking hands and heaving chests. They pray it is enough. Some nights it is.

 

So that is what they do.

 

***

 

When Lotor reappears, they are ready. They all descend to the hangar, blurs of white and determination as they prepare for launch.  The mission is simple.  The enslaved planet is a prison colony and there is word of two humans.  

 

Pidge forgets to breathe, so everyone else does it for her. They propel from the castle, the ringing of lions roaring follows them into the empty silence of space.

 

“I will go with Pidge to break out the prisoners,” Shiro says, voice firm and hearing sharp as both Paladins murmur back affirmatives. “Hunk, Keith, and Lance, cover us.”

 

“I want to go in with you!” Lance whines, a pout undoubtedly making its way across his face. “This is our first mission as a couple!”

 

The groans that echo through the comms are cut through by Pidge’s impatient voice, “Hello! Potentially my brother and father at risk here! This isn’t a date, Lance!”

 

Shiro sighs, “She’s right, Lance. Besides, we can’t risk you on the ground just yet, not with Lotor on the surface. You, Hunk, and Keith are a good team and we need you guys to distract the enemy.”

 

“Fine.” Comes the petulant response. Although it is still indignant, it’s heavily painted with embarrassment and guilt. Silence, then a crackling, “Sorry, Pidge.”

 

Pidge huffs at the sound. “Yeah, yeah,” she grunts. “It’s okay, I know you’re excited to fight with us again.”

 

“You’re damn right I am!” Lance crows, Blue throws herself in a loop before she comes up next to Green. “I really am sorry, Pidge, go get your family back.”

 

Pidge grins, turning to fully face the video console. “I will! _And_ I’ll bring your boyfriend back in one piece, don’t worry!”

 

“Hey, I know we’re having a great time and all, but there are Galra fighters incoming and I am _not_ going to fight them alone, thanks!” Hunk hollers, snapping the attention back forward. Red roars, speeding ahead of the others and a fiery “come on, Red. Let’s go!” Echoes in their ears. And so the battle begins.

 

The beeps from their consoles and the blood rushing through their veins provide the beat they fight to. Pidge splits off from the rest; she and Shiro making it a point to reach the planet’s surface as quickly as they can. A squadron of fighters turns to follow, but Yellow careens straight into their ships. Red and Blue weave patterns through the rest as Yellow moves on to attend to the largest Galran cruiser. They fly, attack, and defend with a rustiness that flakes away to reveal a brand new team. The loss of a teammate carved itself deep into Voltron’s veins, and Lance can feel it, molds himself to fit back into the scarred crevasses.

 

It is the most beautiful song he’s ever heard, even better than the soft guitar-accompanied melodies from home. Each whir of Blue’s engines as they swoop in to freeze an enemy, the sound of Keith’s exhilarated laughter and Hunk’s sighs of relief wash over Lance. Then, another set of voices.

 

“We’ve landed and are infiltrating the base. Keep up the good work, guys.” Shiro’s voice chimes like a bell, and Lance lets out a whoop in response.

 

Pidge chuckles in their ears. “Thanks for giving us cover, we’ll see you guys soon!” Pidge says. “We’ve got some people to save!”

 

***

 

Keith, Hunk, and Lance continue to keep the enemy on the defense, successfully drawing any and all attention. When Green and Black hurtle toward them at last, they are cleaning up the last of the most resilient fighters.

 

“How’s it looking, Pidge?” Keith asks, eyes still focused as he blows another ship to pieces.

 

“I don’t know. Matt? What do you think?”

 

“I think it’s looking pretty good,” an unknown voice bursts through the comms. “Better than it has in ages, anyway. I’m looking forward to seeing this castle ship of yours.”

 

“Yes it does sound fascinating. This technology is absolutely incredible,” comes another voice, older and more tired. “Shiro here has been telling me all about it.”

 

Hunk heaves, his lion tearing a canon apart as he gulps down air, “I’m kind of at my limit so I’d also love to see the castle ship right about now.”

 

The urgent sound of Allura’s voice comes through as Hunk finishes. “Paladins, come back to the castle ship immediately!”  

 

***

 

When they land, the castle ship lurches into hyperspace. The warping is so sudden that it shakes them where they stand. They all rush through the blue-lit hallways, Matt and Samuel Holt just barely keeping up.

 

Keith enters the bridge first, all urgency draining away as he sees both Allura and Coran, safe and unharmed. “What is it?” He asks, nerves returning as Allura gestures to the large hailing screen. On it flickers Lotor’s face, the remnants of an ended video conference. Behind him is a figure, eyes gold, lips curled in an expression smug and wild.

 

The other Paladins crash into the room, questions bouncing off of the ceilings and walls as their eyes eventually find the frozen image. Shiro tenses and reaches out to grasp his boyfriend’s hand.

 

“That’s me,” Lance whispers, voice hoarse.

 

And it is. Dressed head to toe in Galran armor with arms draped over the new Galran emperor, is a spitting image of Lance.

 

***

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> It kind of seems like a bad place to stop, but I plan on treating it a bit like how most of the fandom treats Kuro.  
> Vance (my dark!Lance) is essentially a plaything for Lotor...or is Lotor his plaything? We'll see.
> 
> The more I think about this AU the more I like it, so I will likely end up adding more.
> 
> If you want to, hit me up on twitter @sugayiffer


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